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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 16: To the Pantheon
A skeleton strengthened for defense.
If Fafnir was a sword, this guy was a shield.
'To actively utilize Life Drain, I need a bodyguard.'
He couldn't extract much life force from the dead.
While using Life Drain on the orcs, he realized there was a limit to how much he could absorb, but boss monsters like the Goblin Shaman had different stat increase values.
'Maybe the bio-information of boss monsters is treated separately.'
It was worth testing.
The problem was that Life Drain had a close-range limitation.
"Protect me well."
— Kerruk!
The skeleton rattled its jawbone.
【It seems comparable to the Armored Zombies. Didn't you put too much effort into it?】
"In terms of combat power alone, there's not much difference."
Yoojin didn't deny it.
【That sounds like there's another reason.】
"It's light because it's made of bones, and it won't rot even without special treatment."
Unlike the zombies, which had a limited lifespan.
This was a minion he could keep using as long as he occasionally infused it with spirit power.
Even if the bones shattered, they could be easily restored.
As long as it didn't explode or melt, it was a minion he could use continuously.
【Oh, I see. My master has a plan for everything.】
"Master?"
【I can't keep calling you without a title forever.】
"I think it might hurt your pride."
【At this point, where I haven't let go of my grudge against Baek Seonghyeon, I have no intention of holding onto pride or anything like that.】
Fafnir's answer was refreshingly straightforward.
"Partner, I'll leave this guy with you for now."
"Where are you going?"
"To the Pantheon. They said I should come to receive divine spells since I leveled up."
Shin Joonseok blinked repeatedly.
A moment later.
"Y-y-you, you were a Priest?!"
"Yeah, I'm a devout believer."
He was even a Saint, supposedly.
Since Yoojin was the only one who worshipped the [Heaven-Defying Giant], he was confident that he was more devout than any other Priest.
"God damn... This is outrageous! It wouldn't be surprising if lightning struck from a clear sky!"
There was no need to react so negatively.
Yoojin scratched the back of his head at the intense reaction.
"Fafnir, say something."
【Oh, Lord. I repent for failing to keep your word not to doubt my brethren.】
Damn it.
He gave up on persuading the two (?) and changed the subject.
"Have you registered the patent for the Intermediate Potion?"
"Ah, it'll be reviewed soon."
"That's fast."
"The longer I wait, the more competitors will appear. I hate putting things off."
Yoojin scoffed.
"I've got myself a good business partner."
"There's still the issue of building a mixing machine to start mass production, but that will be resolved soon."
"Just take care of that yourself."
Even in his past life, he wasn't interested in the Great Alchemist's business ventures.
He was someone who would do well on his own.
'I'll only get involved in the alchemy recipes.'
Earn money on your own.
And provide labor when I need alchemy.
He had found himself an excellent em— no, business partner.
"However, publicity is a problem. The expo isn't until next year, so there's no way to spread the word."
"Well, just in case, give me some potions. I'll promote them if the opportunity arises."
"Alright."
Shin Joonseok handed him an Intermediate Potion, seemingly without much expectation.
"When will the Darkness Orb arrive?"
"It's on order, so it should be soon. But will you really pay...?"
"It'll be done in two days, so just wait a bit."
He had given the Little Runts team a vacation to rest and sort out the loot from the past three days.
Hundreds of D-rank mana stones.
And if he sold the Blood Axe, he would earn at least hundreds of millions of won, exceeding the amount he had borrowed from Shin Joonseok over the past week.
"Please, I'm running out of funds!"
Shin Joonseok pleaded with a desperate, tearful voice.
＊ ＊ ＊
On the way to Seoul.
Alone for the first time in days, Yoojin gazed out the taxi window.
The scenery flew by.
As he enjoyed the leisurely ride.
【Are you that happy?】
A wisp of thought brushed past his ears.
Fafnir, stored in the Ring of Darkness.
His thoughts were laced with unconcealed discontent.
— Of course I am. I went camping and suffered all because I told you I was going to pay my respects.
Yoojin also used his magic to respond with his thoughts.
【Humph.】
A brief silence followed.
After a while.
Fafnir, dwelling within the ring, sent another thought.
【How cruel. You won't even grant me the small favor of showing me the scenery outside?】
"It would be a nuisance to take you in a car with that size."
Fafnir's Draconian body was as big as the taxi.
Unless they ripped off the roof and forcibly turned it into a convertible, there was no way Fafnir could ride in it.
【We could rent a truck or something!】
"I can't drive."
【Even a learner's permit would be fine. I could give you driving lessons.】
"What driving lessons could someone who's been dead for 35 years give? Do you think traffic laws haven't changed?"
【Ugh.】
Fafnir gritted his teeth in frustration.
Yoojin drove the point home.
"I don't even have a license. So give it up."
【Please, at least get a license. I have the right to see how the world has changed.】
"Just like that?"
【Fine. I'll turn a blind eye to one instance of personal justice.】
— To think the vow not to harm innocent people would be so cheap.
【...】
Hey.
Are you crying?
'Heh heh heh. Did I tease him too much?'
Fafnir wasn't this expressive in his past life.
Perhaps his emotions had dried up after spending a longer time as an earthbound spirit.
As Yoojin conversed with Fafnir residing within the ring, they arrived in Seoul before he knew it.
＊ ＊ ＊
The Pantheon, which suddenly appeared after the Great Cataclysm.
There were a total of six locations in Korea alone that served as abodes for the gods, appearing all over the world.
The place Yoojin visited was the temple located north of the National Assembly Building in Yeouido.
'It certainly has a peculiar appearance.'
Pillars resembling those of the Parthenon, roof tiles that were a mix of Korean and Japanese temple styles.
Pillars stretching high into the sky were reminiscent of the Tower of Babel.
It was a bizarrely designed structure, a mixture of numerous religious and cultural styles.
"Cheap, cheap. Sacred relic that enhances the effects of Aesir divine spells, only 5 million won!"
"Owl sculpture favored by the Olympian God of War, 750,000 won!"
"A saint's relic..."
The number of stalls resembled a traditional market.
The goods displayed by the merchants caught the eyes of the pilgrims heading to the Pantheon.
Well, they were called pilgrims, but in reality, most of them had secular motives, seeking more divine spells and blessings from the constellations of the Pantheon.
〔What a worldly place.〕
'It's the constellations who blatantly demand offerings from their believers who are worldly.'
〔I don't particularly desire anything.〕
'You were asking for offerings earlier.'
The Priest class gained power from the society of the gods they worshipped, also known as the [Star Cluster].
Perhaps that was why, unlike other classes, there were ways to become stronger besides leveling up.
Donations and offerings.
This involved offering treasures valued in the society of the gods they served, or items that a particular constellation might favor.
Things like the 'saint's relic' mentioned in passing had no use other than their religious significance, but in societies of gods like Nirvana, they were considered extremely valuable.
〔However, there are no sacred relics exuding divinity here.〕
'Would they display valuable items on the street?'
Honestly, these swindlers.
Ignoring the touts clamoring for his attention, he headed straight for the Pantheon.
＊ ＊ ＊
The entrance to the Pantheon, visible only after climbing 108 stairs.
There were no escalators, of course, nor were there any elevators, a necessity in high-rise buildings.
〔Even after all this time, some things never change.〕
'It's meant to teach humility before meeting the great constellations, right?'
〔That's quite a biting remark for a Saint.〕
— This is ridiculous.
Yoojin didn't have a favorable opinion of the constellations.
'They're just voyeurs.'
Suppressing the displeasure brewing within him, he moved forward.
At that moment, as if a mute button had been pressed, the outside noise was cut off, and the scenery of Seoul behind him was swallowed by darkness.
A heavy silence filled the abode of the gods.
The numerous constellations carved in relief on the dome-shaped ceiling began to emit light.
[The Wealthy Father expresses disgust.]
[The One who Covers Death is puzzled.]
[The Master of Abyss gazes upon you with displeasure.]
[...]
Negative waves surged towards Yoojin.
A Necromancer.
The constellations rejected him for wielding the power that defied death.
〔Khahaha! A masterpiece! A true masterpiece!〕
'I'm not in a good mood, so please be quiet, constellation.'
The stars quickly disappeared.
As soon as they read the spirit power dwelling within Yoojin, the constellations lost interest.
The sky, devoid of all light, was dyed in darkness.
〔Now it's my turn.〕
Kronos placed a dot on the empty sky.
The star began to emit a faint glow.
〔Constellation - Heaven-Defying Giant has been registered in the Pantheon.〕
'Is it done?'
〔This is just the first step.〕
'You're still incompetent.'
〔You'll regret those words, Contractor.〕
[Divine Spells - Unholy Blessing, Punishing Spike added.]
◎ Skill
▷ Unholy Blessing
Classification: Divine Spell
Strengthens stats with the power of the Yin dimension. Weakens the power of beings with strong life force.
◎ Skill
▷ Punishing Spike
Classification: Divine Spell
Each time the designated target is injured, a Punishing stack accumulates. Reactivating the spell inflicts damage or increases stats by the amount of accumulated damage.
Cannot designate multiple targets at once.
Oh—
An exclamation escaped his lips unconsciously.
〔How is it? The new blessing I have bestowed upon you!〕
'Not bad.'
Unholy Blessing was an extraordinary buff that enhanced the combat abilities of the undead.
Although it wasn't an instant activation and required certain conditions to be met, Punishing Spike could be used for both offense and defense.
They were unique yet powerful skills.
'I wonder how they'll be in actual combat.'
Unholy Blessing was a buff-type skill commonly given to the Priest class.
A divine spell granted when choosing a mythology to serve.
Yoojin had chosen his deity through unconventional means, which was why it was only now being added.
On the other hand, Punishing Spike was a rare skill with dual properties.
The best way to understand it was to use it and get a feel for it.
[The Heaven-Defying Giant lacks the dignity of a constellation.]
[To maintain a place in the Pantheon, you must achieve more and earn the praise of many.]
[Your light is faint, so others cannot worship you. Elevate your status as a constellation.]
'So you're saying I can't gain followers because no one knows this constellation exists?'
〔Thank you for the advice.〕
'Constellation, you better work harder in the future. That's the only way to get rid of the 'incompetent' label.'
〔Y-you insignificant little human!〕
Kronos was furious.
Despite his words, the more ways he had to become stronger, the better.
This was an unexpected windfall.
He tried to calm his excitement, but he couldn't stop his lips from twitching.
＊ ＊ ＊
On the way down the stairs.
Strangely, Kronos had suddenly fallen silent after leaving the Pantheon.
He had been chattering non-stop just moments ago.
'Well, he must have a lot on his mind.'
Kronos, who had been registered in the Pantheon as a constellation governing a new domain.
That meant...
He couldn't go back to the past.
Even if he was lucky enough to dethrone Zeus and become the King of the Gods again, he would exist as the [Heaven-Defying Giant], not the [Harvester].
'It's not like he didn't know that.'
He probably needed time to organize his complicated thoughts.
As Yoojin descended all 108 stairs, leaving the now-quiet Kronos alone.
【Hmm. How strange.】
This time, it was Fafnir who sent a thought.
— What's strange?
【I'll tell you later.】
— Even minions need some secrets.
Yoojin didn't press further.
It wasn't like Fafnir could harm him.
They had made a contract based on mutual benefit, so he intended to respect that much.
"Oh, look who it is. Cheon Yoojin coming out of the Pantheon?"
Wait a minute.
A voice filled with both nostalgia and disgust stopped Yoojin in his tracks.
He turned his head to see a man with a freckled face staring at him.
The corners of his lips were slightly raised.
His expression was filled with contempt and malice.
"Who was it again?"
"Wow. It seems you've forgotten me after only a short time out of the orphanage."
The man approached with a swagger.
"It's me, Park Seongwook. You should at least remember your hyung's name."
An unconcealable murderous intent gleamed in his shifty eyes.
Ah.
Now he remembered.
Memories from the distant past flashed through Yoojin's mind like a panorama.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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